Yemen's al-Alimi Announces Major Military Operations Against Houthis
The conflict in Yemen has escalated as President Rashad al-Alimi announced the start of major military operations against the Houthis. The goal is to retake control of territory currently held by the Houthi rebels, who have been fighting against the Saudi-backed government since 2015.
According to regional and western officials, the Saudis will lead aerial combat efforts while Yemeni forces fight on the ground. This move comes after a truce between the warring parties collapsed in July, reigniting hostilities that had subsided for four years.
The Houthis claim to have launched attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and the capital Riyadh, with reports of flames and smoke seen at an Aramco facility south of Riyadh. The Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV reported 26 strikes against Sanaa by Saudi aircraft, while government sources confirmed that dozens of combatants were killed in recent fighting.
The humanitarian crisis in Yemen has worsened, with the World Food Programme warning that three-quarters of the population is unable to meet its basic food needs. The battle for Taiz city, Yemen's third-largest after Sanaa and Aden, continues on multiple fronts.